1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a formatting container, for example for use in a system of packaging machine and portioning machine, as for example a scale or a volumetric filler.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
When manufacturing for example long, thin packagings, a product is usually added via respectively narrow pipes to a packaging machine. Herein, a product comes from an upstream portioning machine, like a scale. Thereby, it often occurs that the product does not leave the upstream portioning machine as a compact portion and therefore has to reach the packaging machine via a narrow pipe or a funnel. Therefore, it is possible that it has to be waited until all product parts relating to one portion have reached the packaging machine. As a pipe which connects portioning machine and packaging machine is often narrow, for example if slim packagings are to be manufactured, it is even possible in certain cases that dosing of a complete portion at the entrance of the pipe has to be avoided, so that the product does not wedge or pile up.
There is one possibility to discard the product from the portioning machine subsequently, successively or in a staggered manner to avoid a congestion at the entrance of the pipe. From a functional view, this solution is possible, however it has the significant disadvantage that a positioning- and filling-process entails an increased expenditure of time. Therefore, the maximum possible performance of packages per time unit is limited.
This solution however entails still the further disadvantage that a wedging of the product is not only possible at the entrance of the pipe, but also in the further course of the pipe. This occurs as single parts of the product are slowed down via friction at the walls of the pipe and thus, they can decelerate, and therefore they can also change their falling direction, thereby, however, colliding with other product parts, they can increase the pressure onto the walls, and, hence even increase the friction. The dropping in the pipe is thereby disturbed or hindered. Also this problem leads to a reduction of the possible performance in terms of packages per time unit. Furthermore, pipe walls can be contaminated by adhesion of product particles thereto, whereby even further increased friction occurs and hygienic problems can arise.
A further embodiment of the prior art is the provision of a container above the entrance of the pipe or a funnel for collecting the unevenly arriving product parts. In many applications, such collection containers are already provided. A collection container is usually formed according to the pipe diameter, respectively, and is therefore formed in a long and slim manner. Therefore, a portion of the product can be collected in a certain time interval and can be released as a complete portion in a compact manner. The collection container therefore has also the function to format the portion, being the reason why the collection container is also called “formatting container” in the following. However, a product congestion or a wedging or adhering of products can also occur in this collection container.
Therefore, a solution according to the prior art entails significant disadvantages.